Device for shuffling playing-cards.



No. 673,154. Patented Apr.-3n |901.

' B. F. BELLUWS.

DEVICE FOR SHUFFLING PLAYlNG CARDS.

(Application led Feb. 8, 1901. (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

No. 673,I54. Patented Apr. 30, I90I.

* B. F. BELLOWS. DEVIGE FOR SHUFFLING PLAYING CARDS.

(No Model.)

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No. 673,54. PatentedA Apr. so; |904. F. sELLows.

DEVICE FOR SHUFFLING- PLAYING CARDS.

(Application Bled Feb. E, 1901.;

,(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

vBENJAMIN F. BELLOWS, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE BELLOWS NOVELTY COMPANY, OFYMINNESOTA.

DEVICE FOR SHUFFLING PLAYING-CARDS.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent N0. 673.154, dated April 30, 1901-.

Application tiled February 8, 1901. Serial No. 46.531. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: tion of the left side of the machine. Fig. II 5o Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. BELLOWS, is a front view of the machine. Fig. III is a of Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and horizontal vertical section on line III III of State of Ohio, have invented a new and use- Fig. II or through the middle ofl the machine 5 ful Device for Shuffling Playing-Cards; and and shows the parts in position to receive the I do hereby declare that thefollowingisafull, pack of cards before the shufie. Fig. IV is 55 clear, and exact description thereof, reference a similar section showing the position of the being had to the accompanying drawings, conparts after the cards have passed through the stituting a part of this application. machine and have been thoroughly shuffled,

Io My invention relates more particularly to as hereinafter fully described. Fig. V is a that class or type of devices above referred detail side view of the escapement mechan- 6o to wherein the cards having been irregularly ism used in the machine. Fig. VI is a plan introduced at the top thereof in a series of View of said escapement. Fig. Vllillustrates compartments are allowed to gradually fall in detail a friction-clutch used in connection I5 through the same in a manner to effect a comwith the escapement. Fig. VIII is a perspecplete and rapid shuffle. Previous to my in tive view of one of the partitions used in 65 vention attempts have been made to produce separating the pack. Fig. IX is a front view an operative machine of this class, but in no of one of said partitions. Fig. X is a plan instance have such attempts embodied the View of same. Fig. XI is an elevation of one zo' principle or fundamentally utilized the feaof the guides in the lower part of the machine.

tures of my present invention.- In all such Similar characters of reference designate 7o inventions from the nature of their construe similar parts throughout the drawings and tion some feeding apparatus is requisite and specification. the number of compartments into which the The machine is preferably made of sheet 25 cards are introduced as an essential prelimimetal and can be made in innumerable denary to the shuffle is necessarily limited and signs and will lend itself to elaborate orna- 75 to a degree that renders the result obtained mentation without impairing the efficiency of of but little if any value. As will appear the machine for its intended purpose. A hereinafter, my device, on the other hand, plain and simple design is illustrated in the 3o relies upon and utilizes gravity alone for all drawings, as it is best suited to a clear demovements of the cards and is of such charscription of the construction and operation of 8o acter that a preliminary separation of the the machine. pack, whereby the efficiency and incalcula- The body of the machine consists of the bility of the shuffie is insured, maybe carried two sides l and 2 and the back 3 and is pref- 3 5 to any reasonable extent, all this by a simple, erably formed up of one piece of metal and is inexpensive, and convenient arrangement provided at its base with a receptacle 4 for 85 that calls for but slight manipulation either the cards after they have been shuffled. A to introduce the cards or to accomplish their frame is mounted on the exterior of the sides shuffle. of I'the body. Said frame is made up of the 1o To enable those skilled in the art to which vtwo curtains 5 and G, joined together by rods my invention relates to make and use a de- 7 and 8, which pass through vertical slots 1a 9o vice or machine embodying the same, I will and lb in the side l and corresponding or regnow proceed to more fully explain my invenistering slots in the side 2. This frame is tion, referring by numerals to the accompanyadapted toV slide up and down through the 45 ing drawings, which form part of this specield of the vertical slots, and thereby furnish cation, and in which I have shown the inthe primary means for operating the machine, 95 vention as carried out in one of several posas will hereinafter be explained in the desible forms to which it lends itself. scription of the operation of the machine.

In the drawings, Figure I is a side eleva- The upper part of the machine, which for the description of the other.

convenience of description will be called the mouth, is provided with two lips, which are eachjmade up of two pieces 9a 9b and 10a 10b. These lips are counterparts of each other, and therefore the description of one w-ill answer The part Qa'has trunnions 9c on both sides thereof, near the top, and the part 9b has trunnions 9d on both sides, near the bottom, the two parts 9a and 9b being hinged together by the `hinges 9"?.`

The lip 10 is provided with like trunnions 10c e and 10d and hinges 10e. The trunnions 9c have their bearings in the sla-nti'ng sl'o'ts -l'clin 2, near the front, and the trunnions 10c have vthe side 1 and a corresponding slot in the side their bearings .in the slanting slot 1d in ther side 1 and a corresponding slot in the side 2,

near the back of Ythe machine.

The lower trunnions 9d and 10d have their bearings lin 'the sides 1 and l2, at the points 1e and 1f ing side 1 and corresponding points in side 2..`j P ivoted vin the sides 1 and i2, between thefE hinged lips 9 and 10, are 'a series of partitions 11, provided with suitable trunnions 11a, :j which have theirbearings inthe sides 1V and 1 2in line with the pivoted Apoints 1e and 1f on the side 1 and in line with the corresponding f points o n the "side 2.

In the machine 'illus-1 trated there are four of the said partitions,

which divide the throat or receiving-rece"pta-4 cle of the machine into ii've compartments. The lower portions 9b and 10b of the hinged lips 9 and 10 and the partitions 1-1 are provided witli extensions 9f, 10, and 11f, respectively, which fpass through horizontal slots 1g inthe side 1 and corresponding slotsin side 2 and enter radiating slots 5a in the curtains 5 and 6. .i i,

I u the interior ofthe machine, rigidly attached to the back 3, is a housing '12', having two ears in which is mounted shaft Afpinion 13zt is rigidly attached to the shaft 13 'between the 'ears 12a, and an escapementwhich extends forward through a horizontal' slot 1h in the side 1 and isbent outward and back over the edge ofthe curtain 5. An es-` capemen't 17, provided with a ,pendulum 17a,

is mountedabove the escapement-wheel 14 and adapted 'to engage the Ateeth 14:va of s'ai'd wheel. The bar 16 -is provided with a series of inwardlyprojecting shelves 16a', corresponding lin number to the number of 'coinpa'rtment-s 'in the throat of the machine. Guides 18 are inserted Iin the machine below the bar 16 and are arranged at suitable Aanglesl to direct the fall of the cards onto the receptacle 4 in such amanner that they will not clog'the machine, but will fall in an even pile on said receptacle. For convenience and economy in assembling itis preferable to provide the guides 18 with slits 18a, so that the lugs 18b may be sprung into registering perf forati'ons 4in the sides 1 and 2.

The sides 1 an'd 2 are provided with outward-extending ears 1i and 2i and the curtains 5 and 6 with similar ears 5i and 6i.

:Having now described the construction of the machine, except in some minor details which will be brought out farther on, I will new l describe 'the operation.

The sliding frame is first raised to the position shown in Figs. I and III by grasping the ears 1i and 5'1 or2i and 6i, as most convenient, between the thuan'b and iinger and pressing them together. This' movement carries the bar 'ie forward, Owing to said 'bar being bent over the frontedge of the curtain xand following the cont-our of 'the edge, which is extended forward at 5. The bar '16 is carrie-d roi-'ward until the shelves ltarejdireeny 'under the compartments in the 'throat of fthe machine. The forward movement of the bar imparts a partial revolution to the segmental rack 15 against the resistance of the :sprin g 3l.

The segmental rack being Ain 'mesh 'with the pinion 13a causes 'the shaf't 13 t'o revolve. When the sliding frame has been raised "no the 'limit allowed bythe vertical 4sims fia 1b in the side l 'and 'their cerresppniling slots in side 2, `the machine isset ready to 'receive the v'pack ofea'rds lto'loe shuffled. The 'p'a'c'k is then inserted 'in the nrouth of the 'machine and rests on tefp of the partitions 1 1. ,'"lhetougue's 11", entering Ythe pack, divide it into five parts. rlfhe frane is ne'Xt pushed down tothe position fshwnin Fig. IV, vand th'efhinged lips 9 and 1'0 and vthe partitions 1 1, 'being guided yby the 'radiating .slots 5f, arebiy 'this movement l'caused to spread vand assume substantially upright position as theex'tensi'ns laf., 10f,"an'd A11lf 7enter said radiating slots. The cards then drop bygraviiygoiito the shelves 16a, the-openings 16b being 'shielded by th'einwai-'d flanges 11 'on 'the partitions. The segmental 'rack being under constantpressure'of the spring 3b hasa tendency at all rtimes to draw the har 16 back and is lfree to 'do so 'when the frame is pushed down, 'owing t'o the inw'z'ud 'curve 5 1 of Lthe 'forwar'd edge of the curtain 5. sthebar 1'6'is 'drawnback'the shelves 16a are withdrawn 'from inder'the eard sin the five compart'inen ts in the throat of the machine and they are allowedfto drop by gravi'tythrough the Vo'penin gs IOO IIO

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16h., 'If the 'segmental rack under pressure e or the spi-ing were a'lloweiiie 'withdrawing shelves suddenly or without any restraint,jthe machine would clog 'and 'be inoperative. It is 'therefore necessary that tnewtndi-awal shall be gradual and allow the cardstodrop :from the dilfeent compartments one at a time. This is provided for 'by 'a clutch off any suitable kind, which will allow theshaft 143 to revolve freely when the bar is being carried forward,

but which will lock the said shaft to the escapement-wheel when the bar starts on its backward trip. The clutch shown in the drawings is a simple form of friction-clutch, which answers the purpose. It consists of a frame 19 attached to the sh-aft 13. Plvoted in the frame 19 is a dog 19a. A light spring 19b presses against the rear of the dog 19a. It will readily be seen that when the segmental rack is pulled forward and the shaft revolved in the direction of arrow in Fig. V the clutch will revolve freely with the shaft; but when the action is reversed the dog 19a will engage the interior of the rim 14h of the escapement-wheel 14 owing to the resistancepin 19C, against which the forward part of the dog 19EL presses. The locking of the shaft 13 to the escapement-wheel 14 brings into action the escapement, which will regulate the withdrawal of the shelves from beneath the cards and allow them to drop one at a time until they have all dropped from the several compartments, as the distance of travel of the bar 16 is suflicient to allow the openings 16b to pass under all the cards in the compartments. The cards after dropping-from the compartments areguided by the guides 18, which are arranged at just the proper angle to direct the cards so that they will strike the inclined receptacle 4 and form themselves into a regular pack. The escapement is so timed and the pitch of the guides 18 and recaptacle 4 so arranged that the cards in their journey from the compartments to their final place of rest on the receptacle will not interfere or pile up and clog the machine, which they would do if the bottom edge of one card should strike the top edge of another. When the cards have all passed through the machine, the loop on the forward end of the rod 16, coming in contact with the curved edge 5d of the curtain 5, will stop the machine. During the shuffling of the cards or while they are passing through the machine and being received on the receptacle 4E the front of the machine being open the backs of the cards and the operation of the machine may be seen, and thus satisfy those who may be skeptical that there is no trickery about the machine, at the same time the curtains 5 and 6 being down, as shown in Fig. IV, prevents any view of the faceof the cards and the locating of the position of any card in the shuled pack. After the machine comes to a rest and the shuffled pack is lying on the receptacle 4c it is stance, although I have shown a special clutch in connection with an escapement and spring, which together automatically withdraw the support from the cards when the latter are resting thereon in their several compartments, nevertheless the main principle of my invention is not to be limited to such special form of clutch or particular combination of spring, segmental rack, pinion, and escapement movement. Any means of actuating the said supports and withdrawing the same, as required, may be employed, and this, too, although, as by the substitution of some hand-power, like a crank-shaft provided with suitable gearing, the movement referred to loses its automatic character, the controlling idea of the invention as a whole being to introduce the pack into compartments in a substantially upright position and by gradually withdrawing the support on which they rest to allow the cards to freely fall from the several compartments to a common receptacle or assemblage-point.

Having now so fully explained my novel construction that those skilled in the art can make and use it, either in the form shown or under some modification thereof, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. In a card-shuffling device an upright receptacle in combination with a series of pivoted partitions whereby a series of compartments are formed, means for oscillating said partitions, apertures at the bottom of said compartments for the escape of the cards and suitable means for opening and closing said apertures, substantially as described.

2. In a card-shuffling device, the combination of an upright card-receiver at the top thereof provided with a series of partitions, the said partitions and the rear and forward walls of said receptacle being movably connected to said device at their lower portions together with suitable means for causing said partitions and walls to move toward each other about their bearings or connections to said device, and suitable means for opening and closing the bottoms of the compartments in said receptacle formed by said partitions, substantially as shown and described.

3. Inacardshufiingdevice,an uprightcardreceptacle at the top thereof having a series of partitions arranged therein, said partitions being movably connected to said device at their lower portions and forming a series of compartments whereby the pack is divided, means for causing said partitions to move from each other about their bearings or connections to said device, a suitable support arranged beneath said compartments and means for gradually withdrawing said support, substantially as shown and described.

L1. In acard-shuifling device, aseries of compartments arranged atthe top thereof, said compartments being formed by pivotally-movable partitions and provided with apertures at the bottom of the same for the escape of the cards, means for oscillating said partitions, a card-receiver below said compartments ar- IOO IIO

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closing said apertures, substantially as shown and described.

BENJAMIN F. BELLOWS.

n presence of- WM. H. KEES, L. F. GRIsWoLD'. 

